Introductory Post

[chelseajmunoz]

My name is Chelsea. For years I've been told that I should write a public blog. I haven't wanted to take people up on their suggestion of writing a blog until now because I've finally found a thing or two that I'd find exciting to write about. So this blog will mainly be about how I interact with technology as well as helpful tips on how to help blind people navigate the world on terms that he or she actually finds helpful. The below article is something I wrote a couple years ago. However I think this article is a great place to start for my introductory post. The article reads as follows: A huge challenge that people who are blind face is going to the grocery store independently. There are things that make blind people’s shopping adventures more of an inconvenience than they would be for sighted people. There are also things that could make shopping experiences for people who are blind or visually impaired much more liberating. I used to consider going to the store with a sighted friend or family member the most beneficial way to handle things. He or she could see the items that were bought. Therefore all problems would surely be solved. A sighted person could drive to and from the store, allowing me to avoid lugging groceries around in a cab yet ensure the desired items were purchased. The hard work of creating a grocery list was quite an accomplishment in itself at that time. Here are a few observations about a blind person going to the grocery store with a sighted friend versus a blind person going to the grocery store independently. These thoughts are not meant to be critical of anyone in any way but simply to share the adventures that sometimes come with what can be a stressful part of a blind person’s day and to suggest solutions. Shopping with a Sighted Friend: The grocery list was up and ready to go on my iPhone so I asked a friend to get granola bars with peanuts, almonds and dark chocolate. He repeated what I'd said to him correctly but he grabbed the diet version of granola bars instead. He must have been hungry that day and that particular kind of granola bar might have been what he would've chosen for himself. Perhaps he wanted to test all of my senses to see if those granola bars tasted different to me than other kinds of granola bars. However I found out later that the granola bars my friend had gotten me tasted much like cardboard. That same friend and I went to dinner at a nice restaurant afterwards though so the trip was not a total loss. Similar to the above grocery store adventure, the list was ready on my phone. Everything was in the grocery cart. Things couldn't have been going more smoothly. Upon arriving home my friend offered to put things away for me. I enjoy letting people do their good deed for the day so I let him help. Once he left, I wanted a peanut butter sandwich. However finding the bread was an unexpected bump in the road. When calling him to ask where it was he said, "Oh, I don’t remember." I eventually found the loaf of bread in the chip bowl! Shopping with a Grocery Store Employee: When I've gone to the grocery store by myself I found the customer service desk. I requested a shopping assistant and normally someone would be at my side within minutes. Much like the experiences above I rattled off the few needed items. The shopping assistant understood things and even found everything on the list. All of these experiences surprised me because I used to have the misconception that friends would easily locate exactly what was on my list. Since my friends and I knew each other fairly well I thought my friends would understand what to do to help me. I also assumed that my friends knew I’d feel the sizes of the items before purchasing them. However the opposite is often true. Friends are not always the best people to go grocery shopping with you because they might get what they think you like or what they think you’re talking about without asking you for clarification or providing other options from which to choose. Your friends may be in a big hurry because a basketball game or the latest reality TV show will air soon so they’re ready to rush home to do what they want to do. Your friends will happily take you to the store at a time when it's convenient for them. But they may not be available when you need to get groceries. However if you take a cab or paratransit (a shared-ride service that's for the elderly and disabled) to the store on your own a shopping assistant who works at the store you go to will do their best to ensure that you follow your grocery list to a T and inform you of sales or coupons on items you’re buying. He or she will be available at your convenience. Enjoying the Freedom of Shopping By Myself: Using shopping assistants provides freedom that I never thought was attainable back when I felt it necessary to have friends or family members with me on every shopping trip. It’s a huge plus to know store workers eagerly want to give me some of their time to ensure what’s needed gets in the cart. It’s also incredibly liberating because if I’m by myself people have no choice but to speak directly to me, put the change in my hand at the cash register (including counting out my change so I know what people are handing me) and ask me any questions they may have. I also like to be told what each item is as the item is scanned. I'm not ignored or "talked over." Rather I'm treated like a grown woman who is fully capable of providing for and speaking for herself.